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Slim Mantell
Slim Mantell is a trusted top hand on the JA Ranch. Story Slim was one of two men that rancher Amarillo Ames considered trustworthy and hardworking enough to be on the short list to lead his JA Ranch. Slim signed on to a cattle drive with Ames to Dodge City. Just before the drive started, Slim was cooling his heels outside the ranch house on the JA when a tall, dark-haired stranger appeared. He joined Slim, Rowdy and the other JA men on the drive. However, the drive soon experienced tragedy when Ames fell into the river and drowned. After he helped bury his boss, Slim questioned Rowdy's assumption of command but he was literally overshadowed when Cheyenne challenged Rowdy for leadership. Slim watched in trepidation as the two men fought, and was obviously disappointed when the stranger triumphed. Cheyenne proved to be a hard boss issuing hard orders. Slim was a calming voice among the hot-blooded men. In a moment when they are alone, he told Bodie that his loyalties lay with his friends, not the boss of the drive. Internally though he suspected that Cheyenne had an ulterior motive for his rough behavior. Later, Slim was riding with Cheyenne when Ruck Grover's rustlers started after the herd. Somehow, Bodie knew they were coming and Slim joined him to start a reverse stampede that scared the rustlers off. However, the loss of one of their own spooked the men. At camp, Rowdy, Slim and the others told Cheyenne they quit and demanded their pay. Cheyenne instead encouraged them at gunpoint to stay with the drive and take bonuses. Slim asked Cheyenne his reasons for being so harsh beyond the bonuses, but Cheyenne wouldn't give him a definite answer. Slim was disappointed that there wasn't more to Cheyenne's motivations than money. Later, Susan Ames caught up with the drive and Slim offered his condolences on the death of her father. Slim watched as she tried to replace Cheyenne with Rowdy, but he refused to accept her authority. Slim and the others weren't willing or able to take Cheyenne out by force. The drive arrived in Dodge City first and bonuses were awarded by the city fathers to Susan and Cheyenne. To celebrate the end of the trail, Slim and the other JA men spent the evening at the saloon. When Cheyenne walked by, Slim was willing to forgive and told the angry men to do the same. Their former boss reminded them that they were late to accept their pay, which sends Slim and the others hurrying out. At her hotel room, Susan passed out Slim's money and a secret: Cheyenne drove him and the others so hard in order to earn the bonuses that will save the JA Ranch from foreclosure, and because he felt he owed the Ames family due to a tragic accident 18 months before. Rowdy knew that Cheyenne was headed to the Longhorn Bar to face an enemy from his past. They hurried down to the bar and saw Cheyenne held at gunpoint. While Rowdy moved to arm Cheyenne, Slim and the others slipped into the back. Cheyenne's enemies started shooting and Slim and the JA men fought back and won. The next day, Slim joined Susan and his friends for the ride back to Texas. As they rode out of town, Cheyenne joined up with them for the ride home. Category:Characters Category:TV Characters Category:Allies Category:Cowboys Category:Characters-Season 2